The National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) published the list of winners of the 21st China Patent Award on July 14. The invention patent “Shield Machine for Connected Tunnels and the Boring Method for Connected Tunnels” filed by China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd. (CREG) was awarded a gold medal. The China Patent Award is the highest honor in the field of intellectual property rights in China, as well as the country’s only national award specifically set for patented outcomes. It has been recognized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

The patented construction technique fills the gap of employing shield method to connect tunnels, realizes the automated and mechanized boring of connected tunnels, and significantly lowers the energy cost of the process. Meanwhile, it can effectively avoid severe subsidence of surfaces, thus reducing construction risks. (By Sun Kaidi)